Struvite crystals

This forum is for cat lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your cat.

My cousin, Sawyer, just had a huge struvite crystal removed via surgery. He is just a young tyke. He is doing well. The vet has recommended a special type of Royal Canin for urinary issues - I"m guessing based on what I know about struvite crystals that it is acidified. Has anyone used RC food?

I've been reading about other options too, for treatment, but would love to hear from other cats who've had this problem and/or know about it. Please share your experiences and recommendations! Thanks!

You might want to read Macy's post in here, it covers alot of what you need to know, and I really don't have the time to re-type it all over again, mol.

But the highlights are

Stay away from Royal Canin, show people avoid it like the plage. You need a grain free food, grains are one causes of crystals, wet is better, but some won't eat wet. You need to increase the water/fluid intake, the key is to keep them flushed out. You do this by mixing the wet with water, so it is like a soup, twice a day. Do not use tap water, too many minerals, use the store brand spring water, make sure the boxes are picked every day and bedded deep, make sure the boxes are in a quiet out of the way area, not a high traffic area, not near their food/water, not near the washer/dryer, not near the furance, and the household has to be stress free, no yelling, fighting, not alot of commotion.

Bumpurr thanks for the info. I read through Macy's post. The RC the vet recommended is a prescription diet for urinary infections. Would you still not use it? Do show people avoid it because it has grain in it or is there another reason?

The website www.catinfo.org is filled with information about why wet food is better. Water in the wet food helps to flush out any bacteria and crystals. It is not a good idea to add water to dry food because it can cause bacteria to grow. I feed my cats Weruva and Wellness pouches because of their urinary problems and they are doing quite well.

Altho it has grains in it, its not the grains, its something else, and I can't remember now, what it was. I was at one time looking at it to feed, and thats how I found out about it, and this was before I even knew about grains and better cat nutrition. Hopefully the others on here, can tell you more about RC, or put up a post in the food section, those people, are very knowledgeable, and could tell you all about it.

I went the perscription diets route, the first time Prowler had crystals, different vet. They put him on Hills S/D to disolve the crystals and then Hills C/D to manage the crystals, and his crystals still came back. Had him at Garden State Show, and we were outside discussing different foods, I mentioned he was on Hills C/D. They then told me all about the prescription diets, and said Hills has ethoxyquin in it, and that might be what is in RC too.

After his crystals came back a 2nd time, went on a mission to find out all about crystals, what causes them, etc. That was the beginning of my learning all about better cat nutrition, and grain free feeds, and Bumpurr had tummy issues too, and getting them on a grain free feed, got rid of the crystals and got rid of Bumpurr's tummy issues.

So thats how I know, what I know about crystals, and that the prescription diets don't work.

There are many causes to crystals, each cat is different, and it could be one, it could be a combo of more than one. In Prowler's case, getting him off grain feed and increasing his water intake, has worked for him.

I looked at the ingredients at one of the RC prescriptions for urinary, it has corn flour in it, not something you want to feed to a crystal cat.

Start with the cat info org site someone gave you, thats where they started me too, and put sturvite crystals in your search engine, and read everyone of the sites, that will give you alot of info too.

If the pet food companies want to fool us, then we will band together, and help oursleves and learn our selves. If ya noticed, in the past few years, things have improved, they realized, we aren't so "stupid" anymore, mol.

Its not the vets fault either, they don't get enough training in nutrition.

Sawyer was only fed Innova and Wellness before he had the bladder stone, I know they do have some grain in them but are a higher quality food. We will try the RC SO and see what happens. Willing to do whatever it takes to make sure he doesn't have the pain or the surgery with the stones again. I know he was not a big water drinker earlier but now I will keep an eye on him to make sure he is drinking the water and eating the wet food.

Hi Lewis and Sawyer Shadow went through Struvite Crystals a few years back, before I knew anything about feline nutrition. We really have to educate ourselves on this matter, as we cannot rely on most vets for this, they are not taught enough in nutrition in school, and they are taught by the pet food industry.The prescription foods (RC, Science diet, or Purina) are not species appropriate. They contain ingredients like powdered cellulose (sawdust), salt to make cats drink more (not natural), grains, by products, and some have BHT/BHA which is a known carcinogen.
A cat needs food that is closest to their natural diet, so if you cannot feed raw then a high protein grain free wet food is your best bet, also limited in fruits and vegies.
There is so much to write here about this subject, but im off to work right now, but may I suggest a really good book called "Your cat, simple new secrets to a longer stronger life", by Elizabeth Hodgkins, D.V.M.
Also another really good book to read is "Not fit for a Dog", by Michael W. Fox, Elizabeth Hodgkins, and Marion Smart. This book explains more in depth about the pet food industry, and prescription diets. These diets will only cause other problems in the long run.
Let us know how it goes.

Lewis you might have a hard time even getting him to eat the script food. I think cats are allot smarter than humans and know when something is not good for them. For example Macy luvs the reg Royal Canine Dry but not won't even look at the script food.

I am hoping to hear from the vet next week on the analysis of Macys plug and then I am going to try the Blue Wilderness like Bumpurr said.

Its very frustrating when yu spend all this money on food the vet says they have to have and your cat looks at you like you expect me to eat that? What type of drugs are your taking? MOL!